East Rock sees city’s 29th murder

The Elm City saw its 29th homicide of the year Friday afternoon in East Rock.

A male in his early twenties was shot just over a block from Science Hill. The shooting, which took place on Edwards Street between Orange and Livingston streets in one of the city’s safest neighborhoods, brings New Haven’s yearly homicide count to 29 — the highest since 1994, when 32 murders took place in the city.

Police responded to reports of a shooting in East Rock at 3:40 p.m. and found the victim, born in 1988, with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after 5 p.m. As of Sunday evening, the victim’s name has not been released.

Preliminary information suggests the shooting took place after two cars approached each other from opposite directions on Edwards Street and one pulled in front of the other, Hartman said. The occupants of each car got out and a fist fight ensuedbefore someone pulled out a gun, fired and drove off, Hartman said. An investigation has been launched and is in its early stages, Hartman added.

Though Yale Police Department Chief Ronnell Higgins said he emailed the Yale community about the shooting because many students and staff live in the area, he deferred comment about the crime and its investigation to the NHPD in a Sunday email to the News. Hartman and Higgins said the shooting should not be associated with the University.

“To make any association with Yale in this incident is irresponsible,” Hartman said. “There is nothing to indicate any link; this could have happened absolutely anywhere.”

The victim was specifically targeted by the shooter, so there is nothing to indicate it was simply random, Hartman explained.

University President Richard Levin, who has a house in East Rock, declined to comment Friday afternoon, citing a lack of information about the incident.